Hijacked

We spent Brian's birthday at SeaWorld...the lucky guy!  Fifteen miles of walking, too many people and 100 degree heat...he is a good dad.  When we got home, I gave him this picture frame I made.   It says "I love you because...." and then I can write on it with a  dry erase marker every day or two and switch out the reason.  Well, it was hijacked.  I got one day in and then the kids took over.  They had their own reasons to share about why they loved Brian and they weren't waiting to ask for an invitation to share it on the board. He is pretty amazing, if we do say so ourselves!  Here are a few of the posts:

He does...I love him!

Tanner's....you take us places.

Bryn's

Bryn's

Aub's

Parker's

Fifteen days later when the kids finally went back to school, I had a turn again!

Happy Birthday Brian.  We love you!

SeaWorld

     We had a great time at SeaWorld. We did shows and rides on Wednesday and mostly the waterpark on Thursday. It was nice to go in the middle of the week and avoid the crowds. Tanner was just tall enough to ride his first HUGE roller coaster: The Steel Eel. This is the roller coaster that Bryn and Parker were initiated with as well. I guess we will have to go again when Aubrey is right at 48 inches to let her join in the terrifying adventure.  Bryn, Parker and I also rode The Great White for the first time.  It is a floorless rollercoaster that goes up to 50mph and flips upside down and corkscews.  Pretty scary and fun!



Tanner rode this once on day one and swore he would never ride it again.  On day two he rode it three times.  I guess he changed his mind!   Parker was hooked when he tried it two years ago, and Bryn didn't talk for 45 minutes after the first time she rode it when she was eight.  Brian and I felt horrible about that one!



 

The big kids were good to go w/ Aubrey on some of the smaller rides. 
Park and Tan loved being goofy acting so scared.





Shamu! 




Tanner and I watching the kid's favorite show "The Cannery Row Caper."   This one had sea lions, a walrus, and a sea otter acting out a mystery.  It was pretty cute.






Brian was able to celebrate his 44th birthday at SeaWorld.  He is a great dad!



Our RV Vacation

     Brian has been pretty slow the last couple of weeks at work and school starts too soon, so we decided to take a last minute vacation.  We had a scavenger hunt for Family Home Evening and the kids combined their clues to discover we were going to SeaWorld the very next day!  We borrowed my brother and sister-in-law's RV (thanks Chris and Ang) and headed to San Antonio.  We were riding in style!  We left at  2:00 pm on Tuesday afternoon and planned on enjoying an evening at the RV park throwing the football, swimming and hanging out together.  Unfortunately, a few hours into the trip, we had a blowout.  FIVE hours later, someone was able to come out with their heavy duty equipment and put on the spare.  We didn't end up traveling to San Antonio that night, but we did have a pretty leisurely 5 hour wait in the RV.  Food...check, bathroom...check, books and video games....check.  Not too much to complain about.



This had a full kitchen, table, couch, bedroom and more.  Pretty nice!



Park was "The Man."  He knew just what button to push to make things work.  Bryn was the one to ask if we needed any food items.  She packed all of the kitchen supplies.  Love having such capable helpers!



Park took over the front seat.  Aubrey is on the couch that folds into a bed.



Bri drove the beast the whole trip.  So glad it was him behind the wheel when the front tire blew while we were traveling at 70 mph.  The kids LOVED being able to be right up front with no restraints.



This is behind the drivers seat.  It can be a kitchen table that seats four or this fold out bed. The kids loved changing it back and forth as needed.

This is what our group looked like a lot of the time.  Park in the front seat and Tanner and Aubrey up front.  Bryn reading somewhere in the place.   I was mostly in the back room on the bed reading, napping or hanging with one of the kids.  Sometimes making lunch or trying to boot one of the kids from the passenger seat.   Brian was good to drive the whole time. 



The OPKs

 Since selling popsicles really is a big part of our summer, I wanted to post once more about the kiddos' summer job.  Today, the "Otter Pop Kids" (a title give to them by some of the workers) had their best day yet.  Forty eight dollars!  After dividing 4 ways, paying tithing, and putting half in savings, they ended up with about $5 each for spending.  That works for them.  (Tanner has occasionally disagreed with parting with so much money,  but once I explained to him about our bills versus income he seems fine.)

The other day when we were on Billy Hext Rd, some framers were up at the roof level and when they saw our van they started pumping both arms above their heads. Brinley said "that really makes me want to come more often!"  I feel we have a win-win situation.  You don't get much in life anymore for a quarter, especially delivered right to your work place in 100° heat, and children don't have many opportunities to earn money consistently at such a young age.

Selling popsicles is hard work!



But on the days they choose to go, they usually feel it is worth it.



The kids LOVE having their own money to use to buy what they want. 
A lot of it goes towards a pack of gum or some other treat at the store. 
Aubrey saved several weeks to buy the "Brave" doll.  Tanner, Parker
 and Brinley used some of their summer savings to buy Ripstiks.

School Shopping with Grandpa

Every summer the kids look forward to school supply shopping with Grandpa. He bravely takes them for a morning....all four of them....all at once (crazy guy!)....and they storm Target. Afterwards he takes them out to eat. This year they hit McDonald's and enjoyed smoothies and cinnamon rolls. They come home super hyped up and happy. Grandpa heads home to gear up to take the next group of cousins shopping, and we spend the next hour and a half sorting and labeling school supplies. Thanks Grandpa!!

I found the kids sitting in a row on the couch...
waiting for Grandpa.

Heading out.  Good Luck!

Our living room BEFORE the shopping trip.

Our living room AFTER the shopping trip.

Craziness and Chaos!

Tanner and Parker picked Skull Candy
backpacks in different colors.

Bryn went turquoise and Aubrey picked out lots of Hello Kitty.

Aubrey set out her panties and insisted on a picture. (Grandpa bought her Hello Kitty shoes,
a Hello Kitty lunchbox and a Hello Kitty
backpack too.)

Parker displaying the matching lunch boxes
he and Tanner picked out.

THANK YOU GRANDPA!  We love you!!